I recently got a pre-owned '08 hatchback. I can't seem to figure out the darn power windows. I don't think the auto-up works, because I can't just flick the switch - when I do it just goes up for a quick sec and stops. So I hold it up. But then when it gets to the top, it just turns around and automatically goes all the way down again. I know there's a pressue sensor that governs the auto-up feature (so you can't cut off your fingers), and it seems like it's just a bit "off" - it doesn't recognize that the window is at the top. Sometimes it will hit the top, and then drop just an inch or so, and I can hit it real quick to get it all the way up. But sometimes I just can't get it to stop near the top (pretty freaking annoying right now in Boston).

I'm also having issues with the boot door. I hold in the "open" button on the key fob, and it opens right up. But it won't close again. It just bounces off the latch, like closing a car door but holding the handle up while you do. I can only get it to close if I hold the "open" button on the key fob while the boot door is still open - I can hear a latch flip and the door will close fine.

I recently changed the settings on the key fob - a lot of them (hey, I just got the car!). I think the boot door operated fine before that. But the windows have always acted like that. Any thoughts? Thanks!!

 

The car should still be under warranty, so maybe a trip to the dealer is an option.

If not, try to reset the auto up feature. IIRC it's like my BMW.

Put the key in the car, turn the car to on, but do not start.
With the window down, press and hold the window button up, hold the switch for 5 seconds after the window is closed. (check the owners manual)

For the hatch, check the pumper stops, and the wire harness at the top and make sure that they aren't interfering.

 

I am not for sure but I believe I read a post about this issue. This feature was only implemented in the later models of the mini cooper; cannot remember what years.

 

This is a very common problem. And if the car is truly an 08 then it should have "auto up"

There may be a few different things going on with the windows. One could be there is ice or something keeping the window from going up all the way, I see you are in Boston and with the weather we have been having lately this is very possible. Also may need a manual reset of position, or a full reprogram.

If not ice or snow the try this. This is the position reset procedure.

1. Press windows button up and hold for 10 seconds after the window has closed.
2. press button down and hold for 10 seconds after window has gone all the way down.
3. press the windows button up and hold for 10 seconds after windows has closed.

If things do not work after that then the car will need to go in and have a reprogram for the windows.

It sounds as if the latch is not releasing properly and needs adjustment. Take it to the dealer and they can adjust this for you.

 

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Unfortunately, none of them seemed to work. I took the car into the dealer who told me I just needed the windows programming reset. This takes about 3 hours, plus the time to re-program. Kind of a pain, but I got some work done while waiting...

And the boot latch was simply broken. They fixed that up, too. Hooray for warranties!

 

FYI, for anyone experiencing the "window bouncing halfway down" will need a trip to the dealer for an update to the entire car (even though only the FRM module needs the update, it is an all-or-nothing ordeal so all of the modules communicate properly). The initialize procedure will not work for this particular case.

Also, BMW recommends cycling the windows up and down once every couple weeks with the auto up and auto down to keep the hall sensor rotational count accurate.

 

That is indeed what my car needed - the entire car gets reset, all the way down to the radio pre-sets and the trip odometer. I'll remember to cycle the windows up/down periodically - even in this horrific weather - it's better than 5 hours at the dealer...

 

With a complete reprogram ISTA/P the dealer users updates every module in the car to the latest version of the firmware applicable to the model and build time. Not every module is necessarily updated, but every module is reset back to default parameters during the process as well. So far my windows have been fine now for almost two years. With the exception that last month I had the window half way open, the door open, and the battery was failing, that combination somehow made my window forget where it was. Doing the initialization procedure as explained above fixed it. Also, I have briefly seen the yellow window warning message in the CC twice in that time.